Senior Data Architect - Insurance & Financial Services

As part of a large-scale data transformation initiative within a complex organization, the Data Architect plays a key role in shaping and evolving the enterprise data architecture. Working closely with data governance, analytics, enterprise architecture, and broader IT teams, the Data Architect defines and promotes principles, standards, and guidelines related to data flows, aggregation, consumption, and storage.

The role also involves providing architectural guidance on strategic programs, supporting data quality improvement initiatives, and ensuring alignment with internal standards and regulatory requirements (including frameworks such as Solvency and IFRS17 where applicable). In addition, the Data Architect is responsible for maintaining a clear and structured view of the organization’s data assets across modern data platforms (Data Lake, Data Warehouse, BI & Reporting environments in Azure, Master Data Management, etc.).

Key Responsibilities

• Contribute to the development and evolution of governance processes covering both business and technology aspects of enterprise data architecture
• Support project teams by ensuring alignment with defined architectural principles and target state architecture
• Design robust and scalable data architecture solutions aligned with business needs
• Participate in the definition and execution of internal architecture validation practices to ensure consistency and compliance
• Lead the documentation and structuring of enterprise data assets, with a strong focus on BI and analytics environments
• Act as a key contributor to data-driven initiatives and maintain close collaboration with data science stakeholders
• Provide constructive challenge and oversight within governance and architecture validation processes
• Identify opportunities to enhance data architecture across diverse business domains and contribute to strategic roadmap discussions
• Build strong relationships across IT and business teams to ensure consistent application of data architecture standards

Required Skills & Experience

Technical & Functional Expertise

• Strong understanding of data architecture principles and best practices
• Proven experience in BI & Analytics ecosystems, particularly in cloud environments (Azure)
• Solid expertise in data modelling and architecture design (data flows, value chains, enterprise data models)
• Experience with modern data platforms (Data Lake, Data Warehouse, MDM, reporting tools)
• Strong background in data environments and data processing
• Experience with CI/CD pipelines applied to data platforms
• Strong data analysis capabilities
• Good level in Python for data-related use cases
• Experience in cloud migration projects (e.g. on-premise to Azure)
• Azure expertise is a priority; AWS knowledge is expected as a secondary skill
• Good knowledge of architecture frameworks and standards (e.g. TOGAF, DAMA DMBOK)
• Hands-on experience with modelling tools such as Archimate; familiarity with Sparx Enterprise Architect is a strong plus

• Industry & Business Knowledge
• Good understanding of data usage within complex, regulated environments
• Familiarity with financial data use cases is considered an asset

• Experience & Education
• Degree in IT, engineering, or a related field
• Approximately 10–15 years of experience in IT, with a strong focus on data architecture
• Experience contributing to architecture-related projects

• Soft Skills
• Strong communication skills (written and verbal)
• Ability to interact with both technical and business stakeholders
• Consulting mindset with strong stakeholder management capabilities
• Strong conceptual and strategic thinking abilities
• Proactive, solution-oriented, and results-driven attitude
• Fluent in English; French and/or Dutch are a plus